[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
."Marcus said, "We're aware," and Faulkland gave him a questioning glance.He went on."When we started gathering information about you, it became clear that you weren't just outside the curve.you're off our charts.You became the model of what we call a newtype combatant, and.we're aware of programs on the ground intent on producing them."Kai said, "If my estimates are correct, two such units may be ready to field in a matter of days.""We didn't know that," Marcus said."Shit."He took stock of his resources and once again found them lacking."Could you do it?" he asked of Kai.The alien spy finally let loose an unmistakable emotion; his indomitable strength vanished from his posture, and he looked broken.He said, "If Jack wishes, I will try.but my chances of success are low.This construct isn't what it once was."Marcus read the subtext.Kai believed these other newtype combatants vastly outmatched him, and that idea simply beggared belief.It left Marcus at a loss for words.When his people first suggested the possibility of newtype combatants, no one ever thought it could happen this quickly.The Fleet had bigger fish to fry, and they focused their efforts on building defenses, but Marcus now realized they'd been putting up a picket-fence while the house burned down.He needed to have acted earlier.There was a time before the stakes had risen so high that he could have taken the reins, but only a dictator's iron fist could have held the peace.The visions of what society might have become with his hand around its throat disgusted him.If only he'd seen some other way.He stared at the glowing image of the Seed while all of his shame and anger ran laps in his mind.Had Legacy come to them with a full complement of hollow-drives, she'd have virtually limitless power to spend on operations like this.Hollow-drive.He looked at the internal structure of the Seed, which was visible through the shell like the inside of a jellyfish.An empty stalk sat in the center where once a miniature hollow-drive had been.A dim recollection sparked somewhere in the back of his mind.He tried to wake Legacy to check the source, but she was sleeping soundly and wouldn't be roused.He had the shape of it, but the details just wouldn't come to him.Marcus asked, "What do you know about hollow-drives, Hernandez?"Jack looked to the side, and then seemed confused for a second."That's what I brought back from the Seed," he said in a revelatory whisper."They were the Eireki's most closely guarded technology.The only life-form they ever created from scratch.""They're adaptable, right?"Jack smiled broadly, and it looked good on him."Sort of," he said after a moment."They can connect to a lot of life-forms, but if the host isn't made for it, the two are combined into one.It's a permanent graft."Marcus' own half-formed memories crystallized."The elite Eireki troops were bonded with hollow-drives during the Nefrem War.They called the result Yakara," he said.When the word slipped off his lips, he remembered scattered images and flashes of the armored Eireki.They were no longer men but some kind of biotechnological hybrid, two creatures combined to form something different and new.Everyone looked on in confusion, like they'd stumbled into a panel for a show they'd never heard of.Jack said, "It should be possible for us to do the same.Then we'd have our own.newkind?""Newtype," Marcus corrected him."Yeah, catchy," Jack said sarcastically."I'm really not sure, though.It would be like a hydrogen bomb in human form.Is there anyone in the world you'd feel comfortable giving that kind of power to?""Nagai," Marcus said instantly, but Faulkland was already shaking his head.Marcus would trust Kazuo Nagai with his family jewels, but the man was still comatose in a hospital bed, recovering from third degree burns and the loss of a leg.He was loyal to a fault, and as punishment, he'd never be whole again.It didn't matter, though; he was the wrong choice.The man was a trained and seasoned soldier, willing to carry out Marcus' will with an armored fist, but he only thought in straight lines.He wasn't the kind to ever look for a more creative solution.Eight other candidates flashed through Marcus' head, but none was the right fit.Not even Amira.He felt an itch that demanded scratching, like there was some bigger target they could hit as long as they aimed true.But they only had one chance at it.Once this particular bullet flew, there could be no reloading.He looked at Jack and something funny struck him."I hope you don't mind me asking, but.were you ever mistaken for your brother?""People used to ask if we were twins sometimes," Jack said."Why?""Marc?" St.Martin said in warning.Like most warnings, Marcus ignored it and pressed on."Look, this weapon that went off in Amiasha.the Compact knows it was our technology, and they're still terrified of us even though we stopped it.I need a way to bridge that distance, bring us together somehow, and I think there's a way to accomplish that here."Jack looked stunned, lost."I don't think I know what you're asking, Donovan.""I'm not asking anything yet," Marcus said."Just suggesting.Hear me out.If I've learned anything from your story here, it's that belief can be more powerful than any weapon.And right now, we're in a position to wield it for good."Jack stared through him, and he found the feeling unsettling.Marcus floated closer and said, "The streets down there are filled with people weeping for your brother.He's a hero, and.we can use that.We spin some bullshit about how the omnibody infection devoured Charlie, but it found his sacrifice worthy.And he returns, reborn through Eireki technology to protect the people."While Marcus' ideas rattled off at high-speed, Jack began to wave his hands, then he stumbled back and fell.Marcus said, "Jack.I'm sorry but we're playing on a very large board, and every single move could be our last [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl przylepto3.keep.pl
."Marcus said, "We're aware," and Faulkland gave him a questioning glance.He went on."When we started gathering information about you, it became clear that you weren't just outside the curve.you're off our charts.You became the model of what we call a newtype combatant, and.we're aware of programs on the ground intent on producing them."Kai said, "If my estimates are correct, two such units may be ready to field in a matter of days.""We didn't know that," Marcus said."Shit."He took stock of his resources and once again found them lacking."Could you do it?" he asked of Kai.The alien spy finally let loose an unmistakable emotion; his indomitable strength vanished from his posture, and he looked broken.He said, "If Jack wishes, I will try.but my chances of success are low.This construct isn't what it once was."Marcus read the subtext.Kai believed these other newtype combatants vastly outmatched him, and that idea simply beggared belief.It left Marcus at a loss for words.When his people first suggested the possibility of newtype combatants, no one ever thought it could happen this quickly.The Fleet had bigger fish to fry, and they focused their efforts on building defenses, but Marcus now realized they'd been putting up a picket-fence while the house burned down.He needed to have acted earlier.There was a time before the stakes had risen so high that he could have taken the reins, but only a dictator's iron fist could have held the peace.The visions of what society might have become with his hand around its throat disgusted him.If only he'd seen some other way.He stared at the glowing image of the Seed while all of his shame and anger ran laps in his mind.Had Legacy come to them with a full complement of hollow-drives, she'd have virtually limitless power to spend on operations like this.Hollow-drive.He looked at the internal structure of the Seed, which was visible through the shell like the inside of a jellyfish.An empty stalk sat in the center where once a miniature hollow-drive had been.A dim recollection sparked somewhere in the back of his mind.He tried to wake Legacy to check the source, but she was sleeping soundly and wouldn't be roused.He had the shape of it, but the details just wouldn't come to him.Marcus asked, "What do you know about hollow-drives, Hernandez?"Jack looked to the side, and then seemed confused for a second."That's what I brought back from the Seed," he said in a revelatory whisper."They were the Eireki's most closely guarded technology.The only life-form they ever created from scratch.""They're adaptable, right?"Jack smiled broadly, and it looked good on him."Sort of," he said after a moment."They can connect to a lot of life-forms, but if the host isn't made for it, the two are combined into one.It's a permanent graft."Marcus' own half-formed memories crystallized."The elite Eireki troops were bonded with hollow-drives during the Nefrem War.They called the result Yakara," he said.When the word slipped off his lips, he remembered scattered images and flashes of the armored Eireki.They were no longer men but some kind of biotechnological hybrid, two creatures combined to form something different and new.Everyone looked on in confusion, like they'd stumbled into a panel for a show they'd never heard of.Jack said, "It should be possible for us to do the same.Then we'd have our own.newkind?""Newtype," Marcus corrected him."Yeah, catchy," Jack said sarcastically."I'm really not sure, though.It would be like a hydrogen bomb in human form.Is there anyone in the world you'd feel comfortable giving that kind of power to?""Nagai," Marcus said instantly, but Faulkland was already shaking his head.Marcus would trust Kazuo Nagai with his family jewels, but the man was still comatose in a hospital bed, recovering from third degree burns and the loss of a leg.He was loyal to a fault, and as punishment, he'd never be whole again.It didn't matter, though; he was the wrong choice.The man was a trained and seasoned soldier, willing to carry out Marcus' will with an armored fist, but he only thought in straight lines.He wasn't the kind to ever look for a more creative solution.Eight other candidates flashed through Marcus' head, but none was the right fit.Not even Amira.He felt an itch that demanded scratching, like there was some bigger target they could hit as long as they aimed true.But they only had one chance at it.Once this particular bullet flew, there could be no reloading.He looked at Jack and something funny struck him."I hope you don't mind me asking, but.were you ever mistaken for your brother?""People used to ask if we were twins sometimes," Jack said."Why?""Marc?" St.Martin said in warning.Like most warnings, Marcus ignored it and pressed on."Look, this weapon that went off in Amiasha.the Compact knows it was our technology, and they're still terrified of us even though we stopped it.I need a way to bridge that distance, bring us together somehow, and I think there's a way to accomplish that here."Jack looked stunned, lost."I don't think I know what you're asking, Donovan.""I'm not asking anything yet," Marcus said."Just suggesting.Hear me out.If I've learned anything from your story here, it's that belief can be more powerful than any weapon.And right now, we're in a position to wield it for good."Jack stared through him, and he found the feeling unsettling.Marcus floated closer and said, "The streets down there are filled with people weeping for your brother.He's a hero, and.we can use that.We spin some bullshit about how the omnibody infection devoured Charlie, but it found his sacrifice worthy.And he returns, reborn through Eireki technology to protect the people."While Marcus' ideas rattled off at high-speed, Jack began to wave his hands, then he stumbled back and fell.Marcus said, "Jack.I'm sorry but we're playing on a very large board, and every single move could be our last [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]